Gays, lesbians at KC PrideFest see progress, and hope for more this month

Kansas City’s gay and lesbian community braved morning rain, afternoon heat and a brisk wind this weekend to take part in PrideFest, a three-day celebration at Richard Berkley Riverfront Park.

The gathering resembled dozens of similar summer festivals across the country: brightly colored T-shirts, fattening food, good music. Church booths and legal clinics shared tented sidewalk space with novelty vendors, some with slightly naughty merchandise. Cold water was a prized possession.

“It’s a celebration of where the whole community has come to today,” said Bill Svoboda, one of the event’s producers. “We broke (attendance) records.”

But some attendees said the festival, typically an annual event, had added significance this year. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide soon — perhaps as early as Monday — whether states must allow same-sex couples to marry, a key goal for the community for years.

“That’s huge, huge thing,” said Keli Jackson of Kansas City. “That’s a really big deal.”

Several festival-goers said they expect the court to legalize same-sex marriages. “Things are looking good, and we’re happy about that,” said Amy Gaier of the Country Club Congregational United Church of Christ in Brookside. Same-sex marriage remains a “sticking point” in the nation’s religious communities, she said, and a favorable ruling could move the needle on the subject.

“We want all people to have the ability to have their love honored,” Gaier said.

Others said the court’s decision may end up being less important than the strong swing in public opinion in favor of overall social equality for gays and lesbians.

Three decades ago, 57 percent of Americans surveyed told Gallup they thought a same-sex relationship — not marriage, just a consensual relationship — should be against the law. That finding has flipped, with nearly 70 percent of Americans now saying authorities should leave such relationships alone.

“We’ve seen so many strides in our community, and our allies coming together,” said Joann Wolf of Springfield, Mo. “It’s not just about marriage.”

The Supreme Court heard the same-sex marriage case in late April. While a ruling could come Monday, most observers think it’s more likely the decision will be released at the end of the month, when the court’s term ends.

If the court rules against same-sex marriages, some festival-goers said they would be angry — but they would go back to work.

“Disappointment would be high,” Jackson said, “but I think the community itself has banded together so much … we would just support one another in order to get to that decision in the future.”

This story was originally published June 7, 2015 at 6:53 PM.